ACVREP Announces Streamlined Continuing Education Approval Process

December 9, 2014
Tucson, Arizona. Responding to the requests from continuing education providers for a streamlined approval process the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals has created two categories of their RPPLE continuing education provider program effective January 2015.

ACVREP's Registered Provider of Professional Learning and Education (RPPLE) program allows providers of continuing education (CE) the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to meet rigorous standards and requirements for the design, development, and implementation of meaningful CE programs. Organizations with ACVREP RPPLE status make a strong statement about their commitment to professionals in the field and the need to provide meaningful professional learning activities to enhance the quality of services provided to consumers.

The purpose of the ACVREP RPPLE program is to promote and support the integrity and quality of CE activities offered to ACVREP certified professionals, increase the availability of CE programs relevant to the field of vision rehabilitation and education services and to assist professionals in identifying relevant programs.
In order to improve the process for continuing education approval and to allow providers to more quickly and efficiently indicate ACVREP approval for their events, ACVREP has created two categories of RPPLE provider effective January 1, 2015.

All continuing education providers who wish to receive ACVREP continuing education approval for their events or online courses will be either Category 1 or Category 2.

  • Category 1 mirrors the current RPPLE program and is of benefit to frequent providers of continuing education events or providers of online courses. A Nonprofit or Government entity pays an Application Fee of $300 and a For Profit pays an Application Fee of $600, to be approved for three years. Each year an Annual Fee is due of $500 for Nonprofit or Government entity and $1,000 Annual Fee for a For Profit. The annual fee covers unlimited events and online courses. A Category 1 RPPLE provider may Register their events online, but is not required to do so for the certificate holders to receive points toward Recertification.
  • Category 2 is for all other providers of continuing education who have fewer events annually. The current annual fee of $75 will be replaced with a RPPLE Category 2 Application Fee of $225 that will be due at application. RRPLE Category 2 approval is valid for three years. The continuing education provider will pay for each event based on its number of days at the time the event is Registered on the ACVREP website. For example, one event for two days would be $100 for a Nonprofit or Government entity and $200 for a For Profit. A second event of one day would be $50 for a Nonprofit or Government entity and $100 for a For Profit. The event fees would be paid as each event is Registered on the ACVREP website. Even though a RPPLE Category 2 provider does not need to have each event individually approved, only events that are Registered on the ACVREP website may be used by certificate holders as points toward Recertification.

Organizations in both categories will be approved as providers for three years and will not have to seek approval for their individual events during that period.


With the launch of the new website in January, the continuing education providers will be able to log in to their account on the ACVREP website once they are approved as RPPLE Category 1 or Category 2 and Register events.

Once approved, all continuing education providers will be able to use the RPPLE logo in advertising and marketing their events.

No longer will continuing education providers have to apply for approval of each individual event.

In making this announcement, Kathie Zeider, President, said "We have listened closely to the requests of continuing education providers for a streamlined and more efficient approval process. By creating two categories of RPPLE and approving CE providers for three years, we are acknowledging the high professional standard used by all of the approved continuing education providers and are making the RPPLE program affordable for organizations that only have occasional events. With the launch of our new website in January all RPPLE applications and event Registration will be able to be completed efficiently online."

For further information, questions or for any organization that has events that are scheduled for January or early February that wishes to provide ACVREP credit, please contact Kathleen Zeider, President, ACVREP at kzeider@acvrep.org who will work with you to process a RPPLE application prior to the launch of the new website in January 2015.